Horizon 54 is a nationally recognized, minority- and veteran-owned consultancy of urban planners, policy experts, and engineers. We help governments, institutions, and communities plan, grow, and thrive by delivering thoughtful planning, policy, and research solutions that center people and place. Our work empowers leaders at every level to make smarter, more connected decisions that improve daily life—especially for those historically left behind.
We envision a future where every community—regardless of size, race, or history—has the insight, infrastructure, and investment needed to grow with purpose. Horizon 54 is a consultancy recognized across North America and trusted at every level of government. We will shape public policy, deliver bold yet practical solutions, and cultivate a culture defined by integrity, innovation, collaboration, and courage. We will achieve this by centering people and place in everything we do—and by rewarding curiosity, excellence, and real-world impact within our team.
Our Core Values
Equity First
We center historically excluded communities while building solutions that benefit everyone.
Integrity Always
We operate with transparency, accountability, and excellence in every engagement.
Collaboration Over Ego
We co-create with partners and communities because shared ownership drives better outcomes.
Innovation with Purpose
We use creativity, data, and lived experience to solve real-world problems.
People-Centered Impact
We never lose sight of the human lives at the heart of every system we touch.
Courageous Leadership
We challenge the status quo and lead with boldness, clarity, and vision.
Our History
The firm was originally founded by Charles T. Brown on August 6, 2014, and officially registered in the State of New Jersey. It was created to address a deeply felt gap in the industry: the absence of veteran- and Black-owned firms doing systems-level work in urban planning, and the lack of justice-centered approaches embedded in traditional planning and policy practice.
At the time, the urban planning field remained overwhelmingly white and siloed, with few opportunities for racial and ethnic minorities to access internships, full-time jobs, or leadership roles. Most firms focused narrowly on discipline-specific services—transportation, housing, environment, or engagement—while rarely offering cross-sector expertise. Equitable Cities was launched to challenge that norm.
Charles T. Brown, who has been recognized for his leadership and vision at the highest levels of government, envisioned a firm that prioritized lived experience and technical expertise, that hired people who came from the communities most impacted by planning decisions, and that operated across disciplines, including transportation, land use, housing, climate resilience, policy analysis, public health, and civic engagement. From its inception, the firm has operated as a remote-first team with headquarters in New Jersey and staff based in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and beyond.
As the firm’s national profile grew, it began to support a wide range of clients—including the USDOT, HUD, EPA, DOE, and CDC, as well as state DOTs, MPOs, national NGOs, foundations, and research institutions. It became a trusted partner in conducting transportation and infrastructure studies, mobility analyses, governance and funding reviews, and strategic engagement for public agencies. The firm has supported federal and state agencies in designing systems that better reflect the needs of the people they serve.
In 2025, the company made a major strategic decision to begin doing business as Horizon 54. This shift was driven by the recognition that while the name “Equitable Cities” opened doors during the height of DEI commitments, it also risked boxing the firm into a narrow perception of equity consulting. The new name, Horizon 54, reflects the firm’s broader ambition and impact— expanding its identity to include infrastructure policy, governance innovation, mobility strategy, and long-term urban research.
Horizon 54 is more than a name — it’s a direction we’re headed together, a declaration of what we stand for, and a promise to the future.
Services
The firm is organized across five service areas:
Through the lens of Equity, Engagement, Institutional Change, Storytelling, and Multimedia, Horizon 54 supports clients from strategy to execution, spanning the sectors of Transportation & Mobility, Housing & Community Development, Climate & Environmental Resilience, and Health & Built Environment.